Worthing Borough Council: Former mayor, a popular and long-standing councillor, dies aged 90

Michael Parkin served on Worthing Borough Council as a Conservative councillor for Marine Ward for 13 years and was also chairman of Ferring Parish Council for a number of years.

He enjoyed a career in the Metropolitan Police and moved to Ferring in 1970 with his wife Patty when he retired from CID as Detective Sergeant.

He went on to work as a funeral conductor in Worthing, for Dillistone and H.D. Tribe.

Patty said: “We had a magical life. We never regretted anything. He was always happy and always about having fun.

“He liked helping people, he always wanted to be of use. His whole life was all about caring for people and serving the community in everything he did.”

Michael was a Cockney, born in Walthamstow in May 1931, and met Patty, who was an optician, when he went for an eye test.

They were married in 1966 and had a daughter, Sarah, then later two grandsons and three great-grandsons.

Patty said: “We lived in various places in Surrey. His last police station was Banstead. He was known as the Sheriff of Banstead.”

Michael was a Mason for most of his life and it was through the Sussex lodge that he met his good friend Harold Piggott, mayor of Worthing in 1982/83.

Patty said: “We were invited to his mayor-making and Michael criticised the council a bit at the reception. They said ‘put your money where your mouth is’ and he did. Four years later, he was mayor himself.”

They had a wonderful mayoral year, fulfilling nearly 700 engagements and visiting every school and care home in Worthing. They met Princess Alexandra when she opened Durrington Community Centre and Princess Diana when she visited St Barnabas. They also visited Buckingham Palace, where they were lucky enough to be driven through the front gates, and spoke with Prince Charles.

Michael was as devoted to Ferring as he was to Worthing and he personally designed the millennium sign on the Village Green, arranging every part of its installation at no cost to the parish.

Patty said: “He was very proud of it. He said it was his legacy to the village. He researched Heraldry and included the Henty family, the school, St Andrew’s for the church and school, and a fox for the countryside.”

Michael was devoted to his family and his hobbies included painting, cycling, jazz and crossword puzzles.

He died at Pentlands Nursing Home on Sunday, July 25. He had been in the home only a few days, having been moved from Worthing Hospital for end-of-life care. Patty said he had not been well for four years but his death had been sudden and a shock.

She added: “He was really quite ill for some time, which was a great shame, because he was such an active man, so involved in everything. He never complained about it, he was always happy.”